The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-02-25
IMPROVED FARMS.
Why It Il Generally Cheaper to Buy Cul.
tivated Land Than to Mako 1t.

| engage IN the occupation of farming
are almost certain to commence on a
place that is not improved. The temp
tation held out by the homestead, pre-
emptiOn, and timber-claim laws has in
duced very many poor people to take
up land and occupy it for term of
years. so that they can secure a title to
it without the payment of purchase
money. The agents of Immigrant rail-
way companies have attempted to show
irrespective settlers how easy it is to buy
a tract of land for farm and to make
the payments for it out of the money
received for crops. Their showing
always ''look well on paper" In theil
calculations no allowances are made
for bad seasons, the depredatiOns Oh
insects. the losses by fire and flood, OF
for sickness. A presentation is made
of the average yield of the various
field crops raised in the vicinity, which.
quite likely. is truthful. The prospec-
tive purchaser. however. is not inform
ed that these yields have been obtained
only on farms that have been under
cultivation several years, and that they
can not be expected on new breaking"
The enthusiastic young farmer, es-
pecially if he has had no experience on
new place. does not take into cOnsid-
Grafton all the difficulties he will have
to contend with. He overcstimates his
crops and underestimate the labor
and money required to produce them.
He will not be convinced till he learns
by experience that but little food for
his family can be produced from land
whose sod has not been subdued so
that it can be pulverized by the har-
row. Neither can he be convinced that
the crops he can raise on such land
will bring but small price in the
market, for the reason that they will be
small in quantity and poor in quality.
With u favorable season, corn can be
raised on sod turned the year the
breaking is done. but the chances are
that none of it will be fit to use for
human food, and that none of it can be
sold in the general market. lieut. up
and fed with the stalks. cattle will de-
rive benefit from it, but the average
new settler has not stock enough to eat
the hay he can obtain for the trouble
of cutting and curing. The crop OF
flax seed raised on ''new breaking"
will ordinarily pay the cost of blowing,
seeding. harvesting and thrashing, but
it will rarely ever do more than tina.
even if the season is favorable and
prices are good.
Ordinarily five years will be required
to make new farm Il paying institu.
ton, if the owner or Occupier has nc
outside funds to draw upon. 1t may
support man and small family, but
the support will be very poor. The
life led on such place will necessarily
be hard. There can be very few pleas
ures or cOnreniences. The pressing
want Of money to pay taxes, to pur-
chase tools. to bur stock and to procure
fuel and clothing will be constantly
felt. The hope of better times in the
future may tend to make the occupants
contented with their lot, but it will not
supply them with present pleasures.
As rule none but persons of fortitudc.
energy and large stock of patience
and perseverance can endure the strain
the lack of comfort and the depriva-
tons incident to getting new place
under cultivation. Of those who at
tempt it the proportion that fail is very
large. A protracted sickness of a
member OF the family, disastrous
drought. visitation of destructive in
sects. or 4 fire is quite certain to result
in absolute ruin. With no serious mis-
fortune making money to pay for land
or to discharge obligations with farm
products at their present prices is Ordi-
narily out Of the question.
The chances for success on an i'm
proved farm are better than on place
which at the start is nothing but wild
forest or prairie. 1t is true that the
farm costs much more money,
but it is in condition to make imme-
diate returns. There are fences, build :
ings and wells, and these constitute the |
great item of expense in improving Il
new place. 1t is also likely that there
are some trees for producing fruit, sup
plying shade and afforfing protection
against the wind and snow. These, by |
promoting comfort, will enable the Oc
cupants of the place to do more work |
with less fatigue. The soil on large
of the land will be suhlued
and in condition to produce large
crops of good quality. The family can
be supplied with nearly all the food it
needs and the store bills cnn be made |
very small. Commercial farming can
be engaged in ut once. All the money
realized from the sale of crops and
stocks. aside from what is required to |
support the family. can be devoted to
paying for the place. The interest paid |
On debt secured by mortgage on an
farm is generally much lower
than that which one has to pay on
money borrowed and secured by chat
tel mortgage on stock and tools. The
former generally represents the lowest
md the latter the highest rate for the
most money.
Observation in towns ordinarily |
shows that house or store can be
bought for much less than it can be
built. Necessity is constantly COM
pelling people to part with buildings
Tor less than it cost to build them. The
like is true in regard to farm property.
Many persons fail for want of skill or
Judgment, become sick or die just rs